Wrist watch and band coupling



Sept. 1, 1959 H. B. HENSHEL 2,901,806

WRIST WATCH AND BAND COUPLING Filed NOV. 25, 1956 30 i /5 Zzg 25 I 46 ,9 Z 4 I 1 Win Win I I A mpwwl lai 35 i i BY ORNEYS United States Patent 2,901,866 I WRIST WATCHAND BAND COUPLING Harry B. Hen shel, Scarsdale, N.Y. Application November 26, 1956, Serial No. 624,319 2 Claims. (Cl. 244-265 This invention relates to a coupling for attaching a wristband to awrist watch.

As commonly constructed, a wrist watch case (or, in some instances, the bezel ring) is provided on opposite sides with pairs of projections or lugs spaced apart to accommodate the end of a wrist band, thes'e projections having aligned holes to receive the ends of a spring pintle mounted on the end of theband. When the band is the common strap of leather or the like, the usual practice is to mount the pintle unit in a restricted loop created by the doubling of the leather to form that end of the strap which is to be attached to the watch.

' The primaryobject of the present invention is to provide a coupling, incorporating a spring pintle, which coupling is strong, not subject to derangement and is conveniently and in a simple manner attachable to and detachable from a watch. As will be apparent later, the coupling may be made as an integral part of a bracelet or the like but in the preferred form herein described it is formed as a separate unit which is also readily attachable to and detachable from the illustrated wrist strap.

A further objective and advantage of the invention is a coupling of such construction that it can be made, at the same time, to serve as an ornamental feature of the watch assembly and to decorate an otherwise plain or simple watch case and bezel ring design, so that such overall design can be changed at will by merely changing'the quickly removable couplings.

The invention will be readily understood from the following description and accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment. In these drawings:

Fig. l is an exploded, perspective view of a Wrist watch and portion of a strap incorporating a coupling according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the coupling and strap end;

Fig. 3 is an exploded, perspective view of the components of the coupling;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. only partially assembled;

Fig. 5 is a further enlarged longitudinal section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

For purposes of illustration a watch 1 (Fig. 1) is shown provided with spaced lugs 2 having holes 3 on their inner faces to receive the pintle ends 4, 5 of the coupling 6, the latter being constructed and manipulated and attached to strap 7 all as below described.

As shown in Fig. 3 the coupling consists of three elements, a box, generally designated 10, a cover or cover portion, generally designated 11 and a spring pintle, generally designated 12. For convenience herein the terms under and upper will be used to denote those parts or faces of the box which are, respectively, adjacent and remote from the wrist of the wearer, the terms front or forward to denote that end of the box or cover which is adjacent or nearer to the watch and the term rear to denote that end of the box or cover which is more remote from the watch.

2 but with the coupling The box has an upper wall 15, side walls 16 and a front wall or wall portion 17 and is open at its rear end to receive the free end of a wrist band. In this preferred form the front wall or portion 17 is transversely curved and has an extension 18 continuing it over a limited portion of the under side of the box, thereby forming a partcylindrical cavity 19 (Fig. 5) at the forward end of the box. The side walls of the box, that is, at the ends of the cavity, are apertured as at 20. i

The cover includes a portion 25 which, with the front wall portion, serves to enclose the under side of the box'. The cover is suitably hinged to the box adjacent its rear end, as by means of the extensions 26 which project from the sides of the flange 27 and are engageable in holes 28 in the side walls when the latter are sprung apart. Means are provided for holding the cover in its closed position, such means being shown in this preferred form as including the flange 27 which has a toothed edge 29 and which operates as described below.

The spring pintle may consist of two elements having the reduced ends 4, 5 and an intervening coil spring which is biased to spread them apart. In Figs. 3 and 4 the two elements are shown as consisting of an outer tube 35, an inner tube 36 housing a spring 37, a portion of which is indicatedtby the dotted outline. Whatever the form of the spring pintle, an actuator element 38 is provided (here shown as. soldered to the outer tube 35).

The box is provided witha slot opening to pass the pintle actuator element so that it is conveniently operable when the box is closed and this opening is advantageously formed at least in part in the front wall portion or the cover portion of the box. In the preferred arrangement it is formed in part in each of them. As illustrated, the free edge of the front wall portion is provided with a centrally disposed recess 45 and the forward edge of the cover, which may be dimensioned to overlap the front wall nortion. is provided with a recess 46 which is at I least as long as recess 45 so as to expose the latter. Three sides of the slot opening are thus: formed in the front wall extension and the fourth side is provided by the long edge of recess 46.

To assemble the coupling, the box cover is opened and the spring pintle inserted. It may be compressed and inserted on its side (Fig. 5) and, when in position with the end portions 4, 5 passing out through the holes 20, rotated to its dotted line position to locate the actuator element in recess 45. With the cover still open, the end of strap 7 is inserted in the rear open end of the box and the cover portion 25 rotated to its closed (dotted line) position. The toothed edge 29 of cover flange 27 is thus rotated into clamping engagement with the strap, the arrangement serving the threefold purpose of firmly uniting the strap and coupling, locking the cover in its closed position and blocking the actuator against rotation about the pintle axis. As will be understood, any pull on the strap serves only to hold the cover more tightly closed. In this preferred form it is a matter of indifference whether, by a spot of solder or otherwise, the spring pintle is additionally held in place because in any event and as stated, the closed cover serves to block the pintle against counter rotation and hence against removal. It will be apparent, also, that by a simple manipulation of the actuator element, one of the pintle ends can be retracted to enable the coupling to be attached to and detached from the watch lugs 2. The coupling, in turn, may be as readily removed from the strap by merely opening the cover of the box and pulling the strap out.

In the embodiment of the invention herein illustrated, the upper wall of the box, which is the side exposed to view when the assembly is on the wrist, is a simple, flat panel ornamented only by the configuration of the rear edge 50. However, it will be apparent that this exposed face of the box affords a ready medium for adding any desired decoration or motii; and that, being located in such close proximity to theflwatch, it has the appearance of forming a part of it and hence, can supply any-desired ornamental effect to the entire assembly. Thus, a limited number 'of simple watch designs can be widely varied in appearance by the simple expedient of changing the relatively inexpensive couplings.

In the lightof the foregoing exemplification of the principles of the invention the following is claimed:

1. A coupling for attaching a wrist band to a wrist watch comprising a box having upper, side and front walls .andanopen rear end to receive the free endof a wrist .band, said front wall being transversely curved and having an extension continuing it over a portion only of the under side of the box to form a part-cylindrical cavity at the forward end of the box, said extension having a recess formed in the central portion of its free edge, a cover hinged to the under side of the box adjacent its .rear end, the forward end of the cover overlapping the said front wall extension and forming a closure for the under side of the box, the forward edge of the cover having a recess formed therein to expose the recess formed in the front wall extension, the said recesses to- ,gether forming a slot opening, .a cylindrical spring pintle located in the said cavity, the box side walls being aperrtured to pass the ends of the spring pintle, an actuator element secured to the pintle and projecting through the said slot opening and slidable therein in the direction of the axis of said spring pintle with said cover in closed position and a toothed flange at one end of the cover adapted, when the cover is moved into its closed position, to be rotated into clamping engagement with a wrist band inserted in the open rear end of the box.

2. A coupling for attaching a wrist band to a wrist watch comprising a box having upper, side and front walls and an open rear end to receive the free end of a wrist band, said front wall having an extension continuing it over a portion only of the under side of the box to form a cavity at the forward' end o'f-the box, said extension having a recess formed in its free edge, a cover hinged to the under side of the box adjacent its rear end and, with the said front wall extension, forming a closure for the underside of the box, the forward edge of the cover having a recess formed thereinto expose the recess formed in the front wall extension, the said recesses together forming a slot opening, a spring pintle located in the said cavity, the box side walls being apertured to pass the ends of the spring pintle, an actuator element secured to the pintle vandprojecting through'thesaid slot opening and slidable therein in the direction .of the axis ofsaid spring pintle with said cover vin closed position and a toothed flange .at one end of the -cover adapted, when the .cover is rnovedinto its closed position, to be rotated into clamping engagement with a wrist band inserted in the 'openir'ear end of the box. I V

References Cited in theme of (this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

